The Dying Light of Hope
by Kalan van Lichtenstein
Summary: AU Seto lost the fated Chess game and was never adopted by Gozaburo. Now six years later, Egypt has been destoryed and the game of Duel Monsters never came to be. But what of the Millenium Items? Please Read And Review.
1. Prolouge: One Decision

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. If you're really nice, maybe he'll give it to you. But most likely, I think he may want to keep it, after working on it for so long and all.

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**_"If your need to win is greater than that of your opponent's, then there's no way that you can lose"  
_  
-Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Monsters)  
**

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**Prologue: One Decision**

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Ten-year-old Seto stared down at the chessboard, waiting for his opponent to make his move. It seemed to have been forever since he had last positioned his Bishop, waiting. However, before he got the chance to express his frustration, his opponent picked up his knight, and began to move it.  
  
"Knight to B4" Said his opponent finally said. I was none other than Gozaburo Kaiba, CEO of the Kaiba Corporation and World Chess Champion.  
  
Seto had challenged Gozaburo in hopes that he may adopt him and his younger brother. Ever since their parents had died, Seto had been the only person to keep Mokuba safe. Now, he wasn't so sure if he even wanted to beat Gozaburo. He seemed like a very cold man.  
  
"Boy, are you going to make a move?" The older man asked, "or do you forfeit?"  
  
Seto shook his head. He was beginning to get upset with Kaiba, but he couldn't let his emotions get the better of him. After all, both he and Mokuba's future rested on this one game. He couldn't doubt his decision to play against Gozaburo, if he wanted to win.  
  
"Bishop to C6" Seto said, not hesitating to move.  
  
Gozaburo looked down at the board. Seto could tell he was trying to contemplate every possible move. Quite abruptly, Gozaburo looked up at Seto, and for the first time since the game had begun, he actually spoke to him in a non-professional manor.  
  
"Boy, I will admit that you are good." Gozaburo remarked.  
  
Seto looked away. Looking directly at the CEO made him quite nervous.  
  
"Thank you very much Mr. Kaiba."  
  
"But I'm afraid you're not good enough. Knight to E5." He smirked.  
  
Seto mentally cursed himself. He hadn't seen that move until it was too late. Gozaburo had won.  
  
"Check and mate," sighed Gozaburo, "I suppose I won't be adopting you and your brother after all. It was foolish to even dream of challenging me. You stood no chance even from the beginning." He said, swiping the chess pieces off the board before turning to leave.  
  
"Mr. Kaiba?" Seto said as the older man reached the door.  
  
"What?" He asked.  
  
"Congratulations."  
  
Gozaburo said nothing as he stiffly walked out of the room they had been playing in, leaving the door open. Mokuba, Seto's five year old came in to join him.  
  
"You didn't win the game against Mr. Gozaburo, right Nii-Sama?" asked Mokuba.  
  
Seto frowned. The only reason he had even challenged Gozaburo in the first place was to give Mokuba a better life. Now that he had lost, he felt like a failure of an older brother.  
  
"No Mokuba, I didn't win." He sighed.  
  
"Nii-sama?" The younger boy asked.  
  
"What Mokuba?" He said, barely able to face Mokuba.  
  
"I'm glad that you didn't win that chess game against Mr. Gozaburo. He didn't seem like a good man."  
  
Seto smiled at his younger brother.  
  
"If you're glad I didn't win Mokuba, than I'm glad as well."

* * *

Outside, Gozaburo stepped into his limousine. He really had thought that the boy might just be up to the challenge. If he was to have total control, he would need an heir, someone he could trust. They would be the one to carry out the mission after he died. But, alas it seemed that no such person existed. Gozaburo would have no choice but to begin his plans early. Scilently, he whipped out his cellular phone. Oda had better have the Bomb ready, he thought to himself.  
  
"Hello?" asked a voice from the other end of the line.  
  
"Is this Oda?" asked Gozaburo.  
  
The voice appeared to be annoyed.  
  
"Of course. Who else would it be? Would you tell me your name and business? I'm a very busy man, you must know."  
  
"Oda, you fool this is Gozaburo Kaiba!" snapped Gozaburo.  
  
Oda was horrified. What could he want?  
  
"M-Master Kaiba! I'm so terribly sorry! I didn't know it was-"  
  
"SCILENCE!" Gozaburo snapped, "I've called for a very specific reason. I need to know if the Bomb is ready."  
  
"Yes sir. It is. Just as you requested, sir." Murmured Oda.  
  
"Excellent. I want you to deploy it at the country of Egypt."  
  
Oda was dumbstruck.  
  
"Master Kaiba, isn't that a little rash? I mean, surely Egypt will strike back. It will not sit idle as we launch the Bomb."  
  
The CEO laughed.  
  
"There will be no time for Egypt to strike back Oda. Nearly everyone in the country will be dead with the impact of the Bomb. How will they fight back?" he asked.  
  
"But surely other nations-"  
  
"No other nation will do anything about it. They will be too terrified. The world will revert to confusion and turmoil. In suspicion, countries will turn against countries. We will be the ones to bring the peace. No one will ever suspect anything."  
  
"But how can you be so sure Master Kaiba?" asked Oda nervously.  
  
Gozaburo once again laughed out loud.  
  
"I can be sure Oda because I know human nature. People are stupid. They'll believe anything anyone says because they want it to be true, or because they're afraid of it being true. They'll never find out."  
  
Oda was still sceptical about the whole plan, but if this worked, it would make him a very rich man. All the riches of the world could be at his disposal. He would launch the Bomb.  
  
"Very well Master Kaiba. The Bomb will be launched. By this time tomorrow, the world will be at war." With that Oda hung up.  
  
Gozaburo smirked to himself.  
  
"Soon.. Soon everything will belong to me."

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**_To be continued.._**

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Endnote: Well, here it is: the start of an AU fanfiction. In case you're wondering what's going on, Kaiba Corp. started out as a military company, so I figured that Gozaburo just might have had some kind of terrible plan to get Seto involved in.. but it could be just me. Also, Oda is the Japanese name for Nezbit, the machine man that took Honda's (Tristan's) body in the virtual world. The first chapter will take place six years in the future, when everyone is the age they are in the Anime/Manga. As always, constructive criticism is loved, so feel free to Review. And don't forget to check out my other fic, "The Ways of Turmoil." The next chapter of it should be updated soon. 


	2. Chapter One: A Fated Encounter

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. I don't think that he'll willingly give it up, but if you get into a fistfight, you might just get lucky. Anyways, this is an AU based off of the normal universe. Enjoy!

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**Chapter One: A Fated Encounter  
**

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"GIVE IT BACK!"  
  
The speaker was a short tri-coloured haired boy. Only a few moments ago had he been slowly walking down the street, clutching a mysterious box in his hand. Now, two boys had come out of seemingly nowhere to snatch this box out of his hand.  
  
"You're so upset about a box, Kid?" Asked one of the boys. He had blonde hair, quite rare for one who is Japanese. His outfit was a blue button-up jumper, the same uniform that everyone wore of late... after HE united the world. "Only a girl would care about a box!" He smirked, appearing to take pleasure in the other boy's misery.  
  
The boy bit his lip, attempting to hold back tears.  
  
"You don't understand! It's not just any box! It's a memento of my Grandfather! It's all I have left! Please, I beg you... GIVE IT BACK!"  
  
The other boy frowned a bit, clearly not amused about situation. He had brown hair, which came up to a point.  
  
"Um... Jonouchi, don't you think that perhaps we should just give it back to the boy? I mean... he looks like he's just a kid, and I'm sure we'll find some more useful objects other than this box."  
  
Jonouchi shook his head, apparently intent on the object.  
  
"I couldn't give it up even if I wanted to Honda. You know Hirutani will have sent someone to follow us. Besides, it looks like we could sell it for a lot of money." Then, under his breath he muttered words to his accomplice. Honda's eyes grew wide with fear, and then he nodded.  
  
"Of course you're right. We need to do this for HER. She hasn't been well lately and who knows how long it will be before the Bringers find her." Honda once again focused his attention onto the boy, apparently still intent on retrieving his box.  
  
"Why don't you just LEAVE kid? Can't you see you'll never get your damn box back? It's ours now!"  
  
The boy still stood in place, not moving. He would do whatever it took to get the box back; after all it was his treasure. Gathering up his strength, he thrust himself upon Jonouchi.  
  
Unfortunately for the boy, Jonouchi was much stronger and easily shook the boy off, causing him to topple over on the ground. Honda glanced at the boy, hoping that he would be all right.  
  
"It's hopeless kid. You'll just get yourself hurt."  
  
Maybe he was right. It had always been hopeless since HE united the world.  
  
At first it seemed like everyone would live the good life after the war had ended. But then HE began to monitor each family, to see if they were contributing to HIS world.  
  
Not soon after, he decided to create the Bringers, elite assassins who only had one purpose: To destroy those unworthy, the handicapped, and the elderly, anyone who couldn't work. Yes, Death was what the foundation of the world was based on now. It was HIS world. It belonged to Gozaburo Kaiba.  
  
Unknown to both the tormentors and the tormented was that behind a wall hid another boy, watching, wondering. He had been heading back home when he noticed the boy and the two others following him. He watched as they took his box from him. Not wanting to get involved, he stayed behind, watching the boy become more and more distraught.  
  
Now, it seemed as though it was time he ought to do something. Slowly, he moved out of the shadows and closer to the crowd, if that was really the word for it.  
  
"Pathetic." He scoffed.  
  
"...The Hell?"  
  
Both Honda and Jonouchi turned to see who had spoken. It was a tall young man, clad in the citizen's uniform. His blue eyes glinted with determination.  
  
"The hell? It that all you can say dogs?" He asked walking closer to them, "Do you really think you should just take on any child smaller than you are, in hopes of reaping the benefit? Why don't you try to fight someone like me?"  
  
Jonouchi glared at him, then prepared to lunge at him.  
  
"Bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing here? Besides, you don't look THAT tough!" Jonouchi was clearly worked up over the blue-eyed boy's comment.  
  
Honda tried in vain to hold back his friend, though Jonouchi clearly overpowered him. Once he broke free of Honda's grasp, he began a full- fledged assault on the boy.  
  
A short-lived assault was what it was, more or less.  
  
No sooner had Jonouchi began throwing punches, the boy took action. At first he began slowly dodging each punch, mocking him all the way.  
  
"Is that the best you can do? Pathetic mediocre."  
  
This only caused Jonouchi to hit harder, which had been what the blue-eyed boy had been hoping for. Catching Jonouchi's fist, he began to twist it, until there was a loud 'snap'.  
  
"DAMN!" Yelled Jonouchi. Honda, seeing what had happened, quickly rushed to his friend's side.  
  
"Now, will you give the boy back his box?" He asked.  
  
Glaring, Jonouchi nodded, handing the blue-eyed boy the box. As he and Honda headed off, the young man could hear cursing in the distance. Quickly, he ran over to the boy, hoping to be of assistance.  
  
"Kid, who are you?" Asked the young man, offering a hand to the boy. The tone in his voice had changed. It was no longer mocking, and now had a glint of kindness.  
  
"First tell me who you are, then I will give you my name." The boy said.  
  
The young man nodded.  
  
"Very well. I am Seto. I am sixteen years old."  
  
The boy smiled weakly.  
  
"My name is Yuugi.... Yuugi Mutou. I'm also sixteen."  
  
Seto nodded.  
  
"Tell me something Yuugi. What were you doing on one of the most dangerous streets in Domino at this time of night?"

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Alcatraz Island. It had been Kaiba Corp.'s military base for years, as the Japanese constitution hadn't allowed weapons in the country. At least, that was until five years ago, when Gozaburo had united the world. Now Alcatraz no longer housed weapons, but it had become a great palace, a centre of activity.  
  
It was the capital of the world, the headquarters of Gozaburo Kaiba.  
  
Where was Gozaburo now? He was in a meeting with his five most trusted colleagues, discussing, plotting.  
  
"Gentlemen, what is the first topic on the agenda?" The CEO asked.  
  
"Master Kaiba, Russia has just surrendered to us, therefore crushing the majority of the European rebellion." Announced Konosuke.  
  
In the former Kaiba Corperation, Konosuke had been in charge of the business planning. Now he acted as ambassador for the Kaiba Empire. His brilliant tactics had made agreements with most of the world go smoothly, and if one didn't agree... they could be dealt with.  
  
Gozaburo smiled coldly.  
  
"That's good to know Konosuke. Though we still have the American rebellion to worry about. But in the meantime, Oka, has anyone found out about our little... involvement with the Bomb?"  
  
Oka slowly nodded his head, feeling a bit worried. Over the years of the Kaiba Empire, Oka had been in charge of covering up the paper trail of the Bomb. Now, he would have to reveal the slight breach in information.  
  
"Oka, do you know who the hell found out about this?" Asked Gozaburo, glaring at his associate.  
  
"Y-Yes Master Kaiba, I do. My associates tell me that it was the head of the American rebellion, Pegasus J. Crawford formerly of Industrial Illusions. You know, the rival company of the old Kaiba Corp? We still have inconclusive data on HOW he found out about this however."  
  
Gozaburo shook his head.  
  
"Well, at least the Americans think that the idea of the rebellion is a load of crap. This should be helpful to us. Oka, I will get back to you later. Now Motoki, how is our income coming?"  
  
"Very good Master Kaiba. I've estimated we receive roughly around 3 billion yen daily."  
  
"Only Three Billion? Motoki, that's hardly anything compared to what we used to receive! We need to work people just a bit harder."  
  
Motoki's eyes grew wide with fear.  
  
"But Master Kaiba, the working conditions are growing poorer and poorer, which means that the Bringers are killing more and more people."  
  
"Motoki, you are not in charge of the Bringers. That is Oda's job, you know. Speaking of Oda, how have the Bringers been treating you lately?"  
  
Oda frowned slightly. When he had given the go-ahead to launch the Bomb six years ago, he expected to be living in luxury, yet now... He spent all of his time governing the Bringers. It wasn't the life he wanted at all.  
  
"Fine Master Kaiba. Just fine," was all said.  
  
Turning to the last man in the room, Gozaburo began to talk.  
  
"Daimon, how has your... work been going?"  
  
Daimon was the last member of the Big Five and Gozaburo's most trusted co- worker. Currently he was doing top-secret research on something. No one was sure what that something was, but some people assumed that it had to do with Egypt, the Deadland.  
  
"Master Kaiba, I have finally begun to translate the... text that you wanted. Hopefully it will go according to plan."  
  
Gozaburo nodded.  
  
"Well, Daimon, knowing you, I'm sure it will. Now Oka, tell me more about this Pegasus J. Crawford..."

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At the port of Domino three figures moved silently in the darkness. The port was once a busy centre of activity, until HE took control. Now it was almost a ruin, completely abandoned, save for a few small boats that came and went.  
  
The first figure stopped. It was a young woman, barely into adulthood. Waving her hand, she signalled for the other two, an older man and a boy to follow.  
  
"Sister, do you really think THEY could be here?" Whispered the boy, stopping for a moment.  
  
"Yes Mistress, after all this time do you truly believe the time has come? Could THEY really be here?"  
  
The woman, Isis turned around and focused her blue eyes on both the boy and the man.  
  
"Rishid, Mariku, I do not think THEY are here. I know THEY are here. I have foreseen it. THEY may also be the only ones that can set fate back on its proper course. It is our, nay the world's last hope. I only hope THEY will listen to us."  
  
To be continued...  
  
Endnote: This fic actually turned out to be written in a darker style then "The Ways of Turmoil" was. I guess it's because the whole story radiates a sort of darkness, what with everyone being so messed up and all.  
  
Also, I do call Kaiba Seto in this story because since Gozaburo never adopted him, but as you'll see, he has a bit of canon Kaiba's personality is still in him. Anyways, "The Ways of Turmoil" will be updated soon. I'd also like to thank Zatken for the comments. You've been the most constructive reviewer so far. Also thank you Nari-chan and Tao Ren!

Oh, here's a guide to the Big Five names:  
  
Big-1 Konosuke = Gansley  
  
Big-2 Motoki Shuzo= Crump  
  
Big-3 Oka Chikuzen = Johnson  
  
Big-4 Oda Soichiro = Nezbit  
  
Big-5 Daimon Kogoro = Lector (I'm suddenly reminded of Hannibal)  
  
Hopefully I'll be able to update soon, but until then, see you all! 


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